Toyota cutting production in Canada, U.S.

Toyota Motor Corp. is reducing production in Canada and the United States to cope with slowing sales in the world's largest economy.

Toyota will stop production at all its plants in the U.S. and Canada for two extra days in addition to the regular Christmas holidays next month, company spokeswoman Kayo Doi said Wednesday.

It also will cut about half of the 500 temporary workers at a plant in Georgetown, Ky., by March.

Beginning in January, Japan's top automaker plans to reduce production of the Sienna minivan at its Indiana plant and slow a line for the Camry and Avalon sedans at the Kentucky site, Doi said.

At New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. in Fremont, Calif., a joint venture with General Motors Corp., Toyota will eliminate a shift producing the Tacoma pickup truck.

There was no word of significant moves at Toyota's two Canadian plants — one in Cambridge, Ont., assembling Corolla sedans and Matrix hatchbacks, and a new one in Woodstock, Ont., producing RAV4 small SUVs.

The U.S. production cuts are the latest effort by the company to deal with shrinking demand in the American market.

Earlier this month, Toyota said net profit for the July-September quarter plunged 69 per cent and downgraded its full-year profit forecast to about a third of last year's result. Officials said the company is also assessing its manufacturing operations.